The Miami Heat’s rivalry with the Hawks added a twist with final week’s hiring of Quin Snyder as Atlanta coach.
Now a former Erik Spoelstra mentor is mentoring the Hawks.
Amid the Heat’s two-game sequence in opposition to the Hawks at Miami-Dade Arena, Spoelstra famous the connection between the previous prep prodigies from the Pacific Northwest, Spoelstra from the Portland area, Snyder from the Seattle space.
“He’s a great basketball coach and a really good guy,” Spoelstra, 52, mentioned. “I’ve really recognized Quin since I used to be 14.
“We played on the same traveling AAU team. He was on the senior team, I was on the junior team. So he was actually like our chaperone at one of these tournaments. But I’ve been a big fan of his for a long time, and it’s a great fit for him.”
Snyder, 56, picked up on the connection from there.
“It dates back to I think Oregon prep camp, when our high school team went down there, and the fact that I can’t remember some of the details suggests that I didn’t play very well,” Snyder mentioned with amusing. “We weren’t hanging out daily. But I do, and I believe he does, as nicely, recall a connection by means of that.
“And it’s something that I’ve enjoyed watching him over the years, and obviously have tremendous respect for him and his path and certainly being an elite coach in this league. And that’s deserved, year after year, what he’s been able to do is really, really impressive. I don’t know that either one of us could tell that we’d be coaching in the NBA.”
No Love
Starting energy ahead Kevin Love was dominated out at noon from Monday night time’s recreation in opposition to the Hawks on account of a bruised proper rib.
It is the primary recreation Love has missed since becoming a member of the Heat on Feb. 20 throughout the All-Star break after leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers in a buyout,
Love’s absence comes forward of the Heat’s two-game house set in opposition to the Cavaliers on Wednesday and Friday nights, the Heat’s solely remaining video games in opposition to Cleveland this season.
Cleveland agreed to the buyout with Love after the 34-year-old former All-Star had misplaced his spot within the Cavaliers’ rotation, held out for his closing 12 video games with the crew earlier than being waived.
Love instantly moved into the Heat beginning lineup, averaging 7.5 factors and seven.3 rebounds in these six appearances.
Love’s absence comes with heart Omer Yurtseven and ahead Jamal Cain getting back from assignments with the Heat’s G League affiliate.
Remaining sidelined for the Heat are level guard Kyle Lowry, with the knee soreness that has had him out since Feb. 2, and rookie large man Nikola Jovic, who has been out on account of a lower-back stress response since Dec. 28.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com